Surfing star Ricardo dos Santos, 24, was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer during an argument in front of his home in Brazil. The death stunned the surfing world.
The officer who shot dos Santos, Luis Brentano, was arrested on suspicion of murder but has not been formally charged by authorities,
according to The Independent. He claimed that dos Santos confronted him with a knife and he acted in self-defense, but authorities haven't found a knife at the death scene.
BBC News reported that doctors operated on dos Santos four times after he was shot but he died in a hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
Dos Santos gained notoriety when he beat 11-time world champion Kelly Slater during an event in 2012.
"What about when you lose a great friend? What about when you lose a person so cheerful, with such a good heart as Ricardinho? I have so many good memories of him that it is difficult to choose one," wrote fellow Brazilian surfer Adriano de Souza on his Facebook page. "But I want to keep in mind forever his qualities and his courage. Those we love never die, they just leave before us. May you be with God my friend and may you protect us from above."
Surfing fans flooded social media with condolences for dos Santos.
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